Lifting device



S. G. JONES LIFTING DEVICE Oct. 16, 1934.

Filed Sept. 16. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l .a/*rra e/ G7. fons INVENTOR ATTORNEY 06f. 16,` 1934. 5. G. JONES l 1,976,996

LIFTING DEVICE Filed Sept, 16, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 47j Lgv 3' V472 42 4] Patented Oct. 16, 1934 Urt STATES;

n 1,916,996 LIFTING DEVICE Application September 16, 1929, Serial No. 393,021 16 Claims. (Cl. 254-93) This invention relates to lifting devices and, more particularly, to a device for lifting automobiles from the ground to an elevated position where they may be conveniently inspected and lubricated. Y The principal object of my invention, generally considered, is to provide an improved lifting deviceparticularly adapted for raising automobiles in which shock incident to arresting theraising of the device is obviated, and the device brought to rest automatically at a desired position,

Another object of my invention is to provide a lifting device particularly adapted for raising automobiles and provided with safety means for locking the device in elevated position and preventing it from dropping in case the duid pressure raising means should fail. y

A further object of my invention is `to provide a iiuid` pressure operated automobile lifting device comprising a vertically. movable plunger, a runwayr support, and runways mounted on the ends thereof with air line connections extending from the plunger to both sides of the runways so'that the device maybe operated from either side. f f

A still further object of my invention is to provide an automobile lifting device with runways adapted to supportthe wheels of automobiles and devices connected to said runways for safety and convenience and connection with the support of and servicing of automobiles on the device. i

Other objects and advantages of the invention relating to the particular arrangement and construction of the various parts Vwill become apparent as the description proceeds. i

Referring to thev drawings illustrating my in.- vention, the scope whereof is defined by the appended claims:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an embodiment ofmy lifting device in lowered position, the outer cylinder and foundation of said device being shown in vertical section.

Figure'2 is a plan ofthe device shown in Figure 1'.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows. i

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevational View of the device in raised position. Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of the lower lend of the plunger and adjacent portions ofthe cylinder when the plunger is approaching its uppermost position.

Figure 6 is a view corresponding to Figure 5 showing the plunger after the ow of liquid between it and the cylinder has been cut off by the stung box.

.Referring tothe drawings in detail, like parts being designated by like reference characters, there is shown an automobile lifting device 1 ccmprising an outer cylinder 2 with its lower end preferably embedded in a concrete foundation 3 and its upper end likewise embedded in a concrete foundation 4, said foundation 4 preferably 'B5 being extended-to provide a base or :door 5 for supporting the automobile runways The outer cylinder 2 is preferably closed at its lower end, as indicatedat 7, so as to serve as a container for liquid 8 such as lightoil which will 70 not congeal in cold weather. At the upper or open end of the cylinder 2 is, in the embodiment illustrated, packing means such as a stuffing box 9 adapted to close the space between the outer Vcylinder 2 and an inner cylinder or hollow "15,

plunger 10, said plunger having a closed bottom and constituting a reservoir for lifting liquid. To avoid leakage between the stuffing box and the inner cylinder or plunger 10, a gland 11, connected by bolts or nuts 12 and 13 to said stuffing box, 80 is preferably employed with associated packing, as shown. The cylinder 2 is assembled with the plunger 10, which has a head 14 flanged as at 15 beyond said plunger, before the stuffing box 9 is applied, so that when said stunlng box 9 is con- 85 nected to the cylinder 2, it forms a shoulder 16 adapted to be engaged by the anged portion 15 of the head 14 and limit movement of the plunger l0 away from the cylinder 2. The plunger 10 is formed with one or more apertures or perforations 17 preferably disposed a short distance above or'away from the flanged portion 15 of the heady 14 fora purpose to be hereinafter described.

The stuffing box 9 and its associated cylinder 2 are preferably secured to the foundation 4 by 95 bolts 18 extending from embedded angle irons 19 through the upper flanges 20 on the stuffing box,` the nuts 2l on said bolts being subsequently tightened to securely hold the stuffing box and cylinder in place. The foundation 4 is preferably 100 formed with a pocket 22 above the stuffing box leading to a drainage passage 23 for preventing the accumulation of water or other liquid around the stuiiing box and plunger.

Preferably connected to the top of the plunger l0 is a member or casting 24 to which is connected, in any desired manner, a runway support 25, said support being desirably in the form of a channel 26 with an upper Web 27 and `depending flanges 28. Said channel is desirably reinforced the strut 31 to inoperative position and an arm 36 adjacent the side of the device for operating the crank 35. If desired, the rod 32 may be extended to the other side of `the device and prov vided with a similar operating arm at that side so that it may be operated from either side.

Mounted on each end of the runway support is an automobile runway 6, said runways being disposed parallel to one another and being spaced to receive and support the wheels of an automobile. Each runway 5 is preferably formedas a channel 37 witha lower web 38 and upstanding flanges 39, the webs of the channels 27 and 37 being desirably connected together as by riveting so that the runways are firmly mounted on the runway support. Connection between these channels is desirably reinforced by the angle iron 29 heretofore referred to and by short pieces of angle iron ed on the other side of the runway support 25, the corresponding flanges of said angle irons being respectively connected to the adjacent portions of the runway support and runways.

The runways 5 are desirably reinforced adjacent their intermediateportions.by angle irons 41 with vertical flanges 42 connected to the upstanding flanges 39 of the` runways 6 and the horizontal flanges 43 extending outwardly. kThe portions of the'angle irons ilimmediately over the runway support 25 are preferably disposed at a maximum elevation and those portions of the angle irons on either side thereof slope both ways preferably to the level of the upper edges of the flanges 39 of said runway to most efficiently reinforce .the same. At each end of each runway is desirably mounted a ramp lli which is preferably in the form of a channel with an outer end flaring, as indicated at 45, and the inner end pivoted to the adjacent end of the runway or an angle iron or hinge vvcasting. 46 thereon as by means of a pivot pin i7 passing through hinge lugs on the runway and ramps respectively.

In order to lock the automobile in` place on the runways, adjustable checks 48 are desirably provided and formed as castings Li9 fitting on the fianges 39 of the runways and provided: with checking members 55 preferably inthe formo-f inverted U shaped rods which are movable from inoperative positions, indicated at -the left of Figure 2, to operative positions, shown at the right of Figure 2, where said checking members are locked in operative positions between upstanding lugs 5l of the chocks. In order to conveniently support a bucket or other device for catching spent oil orother fluid from an automobile, a bucket holder 52 is desirably adjustaly mounted on one of the runways as by means of a clip 53 fitting over a flange 39 of a runway. The bucket holder is pivotally mounted in the clip, as illustrated, and the clip isslidable along the flange so that a bucket 54 may be supported in any desired position.

In order to effect the raising md lowering of the plunger and associated runways, the cylin ,er 2 and plunger lo are desirably filled with light oil 8 which does not congeal in cold weather as by means of the filling opening 55 closed by a plug 56, so that when the plunger is in its lowermost position, the oil is at a level of about siX inches below the filler plug. In order to supply the power for causing the raising of the plunger, air pipes 57 are preferably connected to the plunger adjacent the upper end thereoA and extend to either side of the lifting device, an operating valve 58 being placed in the line which connects with an air hose or connection to a source of compressed air, and an exhaust valve 59, which permits release of the air pressure in the plunger l0, provided.

The operation of my lifting device heretofore described is as follows. With the runways and connected mechanism in the position illustrated in Figure 1, the automobile or other device to be lifted maybe run up on the runways 6 and the chocks 48 moved to locked position shown at the right of Figure 2, so that in case the hand brake of the car is defective, the automobile will not run off the runways. One of the operating valves is lthen turned on after connection with an air line, all of the other valves, of course, being closed. This causes compressed air to ent/er the top of the plunger 10 and displace or force the oil or other lifting liquid or fluid 8 from the plunger 10 through the aperture or apertures 17, in the head or head portion of the plunger 10, to the cylinder 2 below the bottom or head 14 of the plunger, causing said plunger and supporting runways to be raised. When the plunger reaches the position with respect to the cylinder, indicated in Figure 5, vthe lower-end ofthe stuffing box or packingmeans approaches closely the'aperturedportions 17 above the bottom of the plunger 10 and gets ready to shut olf the flow of fluid from the plunger tothe cylinder, said now of fluid being entirely shut olf and the movement of it stopped when the plunger reaches the relative position; indicated in Figure 6, as willbe understood. In this way the movement of the plunger is arrested at a predetermined position prior to engagement between the head or flanged portion 15 and the shouldered portion 16 provided on the cylinder 2 at the lower end of the stuffing box 9, While a substantial part of the lower end of the plunger still remains in the cylinder. 'As the plunge` is being raised, the safety device 30 swings fromhori- Zontal to vertical position so as to support the runways and plunger in elevated position and prevent injury to an operative or bystander should the air supply fail. When it is desired to lower the plunger and runways, the safety device 30 is moved from vertical to horizontal position by swinging the operating lever 36 counter-clockwise,A the operating valve turned off and anA eX- haustvalve opened. d

From the foregoing disclosure, it will .bevseen thatl have devised an improved lifting device particularly adapted for raising automobiles so that theymaybe conveniently worked on and formed so that the raising plunger is .automatically stopped ,without shock prior to engagement between its head and a limiting shoulder on theenclosing cylinder. Although I have described a-preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details as modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing-from my invention.

Having now described my. invention, I claim:

1. In a lifting device, a cylinder, a plunger operating therein, liquid in said cylinder and plunger, the end vof said plunger in said cylinder being Sul apertured, means for forcing said liquid from said plunger to said cylinder through the apertured portion thereof, and means to close said apertured end of the plunger to check the flow of liquid prior to the end `'of' the stroke.

2. in a lifting device, a cylinder, a piston with aheaded portion therein, a shouldered portion on `the cylinder outwardly of said headed portion and adapted to limit outward movement of said headed' portion, fluid in said piston and cylinder for operating said piston means normally permitting a flow Vof iiuidbetween said piston and cylinder, and means for automatically cutting off the flow of fluid from the piston to the cylinder prior to engagement between said headed'and shouldered portions.

3. in a lifting device, a pair of telescoping cylinders, liquid in said cylinders, the head' of the r cylinder being perforated to allow 4said liquid to pass from one to the other, and means on said outer cylinder to` close the perforated portion of said inner cylinder and cut oif the flow of liquid at a predetermined position.

4. In a lifting device, a pair of telescoping cylinders, the inner cylinder having its end received in the outer cylinder and closed by a head extending beyond the body of said cylinder, said outer cylinder being formed with a stuffing box closing the space between the bodies of said inner and outer cylinders, the inner end of said stmling box forming a shouldered portion adapted to engage *he outwardly extending portion of the head of the inner cylinder, said inner cylinder being perforated outwardly of and adjacent said head for permitting fluid to pass from said inner to said outer cylinder when the device is operated, said stufling box serving to close the perforated portion of said cylinder prior toengagement between said head and stuffing box.

5. In a lifting device, an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder telescoping therewith, a stuffing closing the space between said cylinders, said inner cylinder being formed with a head closing its inner end and projecting beyond the Walls thereof, said inner cylinder being perforated some chstance from said head so that liquid flow between said cylinders is cut off by the stuffing box prior to engagement between said head and stuffing box.

6. An automobile lifting device comprising a foundation, an outer cylinder opening upwardly and embedded in said foundation, a stuffing box adjacent the upper end of said cylinder, a plunger fitted in said cylinder and adapted to move in said stuffing box, an automobile supporting runway mounted on the top of said plunger, fluid contained in said cylinder and plunger, means normally permitting fluid to flow from ther plunger to the cylinder, means for applying pressure to said fluid to raise said plunger and runway, and means to checl; the raising of the plunger prior to engagement between the end thereof and the stuffing box by automatically cutting 01T the flow of fluid from said plunger to said cylinder.

'7. An automobile lifting device comprising an outer cylinder opening upwardly, a stuffing box adjacent the open end of said cylinder, a hollow plunger fitted in said cylinder and formed with a head below said stuning box and adapted to limit upward movement thereof, an automobile supporting runway mounted on the top of said plunger, liquid contained in said cylinder and plunger, a connection to said plunger for applying compressed air on top of said liquid to force liquid from the plunger to said cylinder and raise the plunger, said plunger, for that purpose, being apertured adjacent `its lower end, said apertured portion being disposed above the head of said plunger, whereby the flow of liquid is out off by the stuiiing box prior to engagement between the head of the plunger and said stuffing box, so that impact between the head and stuffing box is avoided.

8. An automobile lifting device comprising 'a plunger mounted for vertical movement, an automobile supporting runway mounted on the top of said plunger, a connection to said plunger for supplying compressed air to raise it, a strut adapted to be swung to vertical position for supporting said plunger and runway if the air supply fails or rotated to horizontal position beneath the runway for permitting said plunger and runway to bel lowered, and an operating rod for said strut, said strut being pivotally mounted on said rod, said rod being extended beneath the runway to the side thereof and provided with an arm for manual operation thereof, and a crank for controlling said strut. y

9. An automobilerlifting device comprising a vertically movable plunger, a support mounted on the top of `said plunger, and a pair of automobile runways mounted on each endof said support and spaced for receiving the wheels of an automobile, said runways being generally channel shaped in section with a lower supporting web and upstanding flanges, the intermediate portions of said runways being trussed by angle irons with vertical fianges connected to the upstanding flanges thereof and horizontalanges extending outwardly therefrom, said angle irons being bent so that the portions thereof above the runway support are at a maximum elevation with the ends sloping both ways to approximately the level of the tops of the channel flanges.

10. An automobile lifting device comprising a vertically movable plunger, channel shaped runways connected to the top of said plunger for being raised and lowered thereby, said runways having lower webs adapted to support the wheels of an automobile and upstanding flanges adapted to guide said wheels, and chock means comprising connecting devices mounted on one of said flanges and chocking members adapted to be rotated on said connecting devices to block the channel, and lug means on said connecting devices for locking said chocking members inoperative positions,

11. An automobile lifting device comprising a vertically movable plunger, channel shaped runways connected to the top of said plunger for being raised and lowered thereby, said runways having lower webs adapted to support the wheels of an automobile and upstanding flanges adapted to guide said wheels, a clip fitting over a flange of one of said runways and slidable therealong, and means pivotally mounted on said clip for adjustably supporting a bucket between said runways. i

12. A vehicle lifting device comprising an outer cylinder opening upwardly, a stuffing box adjacent the upper end thereof, a plunger fitting in said cylinder and adapted to move in said stuifing box, a supporting runway mounted on the top of said plunger, fluid contained in said plunger and cylinder, the head of the plunger being perforated to allow said fluid to pass between said plunger and cylinder, and means on said cylinder to close the perforated portion of the plunger and cut off the ow of fluid at a predetermined position.

13. A vehicle lifting devcecomprising a cylinder opening upwardly, a plunger fitting in said cylinder and adapted to reciprocate therein, and a. supporting runway mounted on thetop of said plunger, uid contained in said 'cylinder and plunger, said plunger having a head extending beyond its body, said cylinder-having a stuillng box closing the space between it andthe body of the plunger, thev innerl end of said stufiing box forming a shoulder adapted to engage the head of said plunger, said. plunger being perforated adjacent its head for permitting uid `to pass frcrn it to said cylinder when the 'device isoperated, said stuffing box serving'to close the perforated portion of the plunger prior to engagement of the headrtherewith.

14. A vehicle lifting device comprising an outer cylinder opening upwardly, an inner cylinder tting therein and adapted te reciprocate with respect thereto, a vehicle'supporting runway mounted on the top of said inner cylinder, and fluidy contained in both oi said cylinders, vsaid inner cylinder having a head closing its lower end andprojecting beyond the walls thereof, that portion of said inner cylinder adjacent said head being perforated so that said uid may pass between said cylinders, said outer cylinder having an annular member closing the space between the cylinders and adapted to cut olf said liquid flow prior to engagement between it and the head of theinner cylinder.

15. In a lift device, a cylinder, a tubular plunger therein having a closed bottom and constituting a .reservoir for lifting liquid, packing meansat the upper end of said cylinder surrounding ,said plunger, means for displacing lifting liquid from said plunger, said plunger having an opening through which said lifting liquid is discharged into said cylinder .when so displaced, said openingibeing spaced above the bottom of saidplunger whereby it is covered by the packingrneans and theY flow of liquid out of the plunger cut off while a substantial part of the loweryend of said plunger still remains in said cylinder. p15. In a lifting device, a pair of telescopingVv cylinders, liquid in said cylinders, the head -of the inner lcylinder being perforated to allow said liquid to pass from one to the other, and means to close the perforated portion of said inner cylinder and cut 01T the ow of liquid at a predetermined position.

`v SAMUEL G. JONES. 

